How to Keep Weigela Small

Related Articles

Weigela (Weigela florida) is an old-fashioned, deciduous shrub distinguished by its loose, round form and its white, pink or red trumpets that appear in spring. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, weigela grows 3 to 10 feet tall and wide, depending on climate zone and plant variety. To keep your plant smaller than its natural size, give it a trim every spring, right after the flowers fade.

1

Disinfect tool blades with rubbing alcohol to prevent the spread of disease.

2

Remove weigela's oldest branches, as well as those that cross or crowd each other and those that are sickly. Use lopping shears to cut them all the way to the ground.

3

Cut the remaining branches back to shorten the plant. Cut back as far as you want, but leave the pant no shorter than 18 inches. Maintain a round shape. Weigela is a tough plant, so use hedge trimmers if you prefer.

Things You Will Need

Rubbing alcohol

Clean cloth

Handheld pruners

Lopping shears

Hedge trimmers (optional)

Tip

If you are planting a new weigela, consider "Minuet" (Weigela florida "Minuet"), which is compact at 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Warning

Resist the temptation to give weigela a haircut later in the season. Doing so removes newly formed, invisible flower buds, which will spoil next year's floral show.

About the Author

Robert Lewis has been writing do-it-yourself and garden-related articles since 2000. He holds a B.A. in history from the University of Maryland and has training experience in finance, garden center retailing and teaching English as a second language. Lewis is an antiques dealer specializing in Chinese and Japanese export porcelain.